Universal heddle backer for warp drawing machines



Feb 10, 1953 c. B. CRANDALL. ETAL 2,627,643

UNIVERSAL HEDDLE BACKER FOR wARP DRAWING MACHINES Filed oct. 26, 1951Char/e5 Cra/vda# Fran/(lm L. Tow/156m! I BY M, gil@ ATTORNEYS FetentedFeb. i9, 1953 rem? ortica UNVERSAL HEDDLE BACKER FOR WARP DRAWINGMACHINES nois Application Gctober 26, 1951, Serial No. 253,428

18 Claims.

This invention pertains to means for compacting steel heddles during thedrawing-in operation of a warp drawing machine, and the general objectis to provide a heddle hacker which is universally usable with heddleframes of difiering widths. The present trend toward weaving cloth withmore complicated patterns has led to the use of longer heddles andtherefore of wider heddle frames in order to provide for enough movementof the harnesses to form the shed, the width of the heddle framesvarying according to the number of harnesses in use.

lt is a further object of the invention to provide a heddle backer whichmay easily be installed in the heddle frame and which may be relied uponto remain in place without falling out.

Another object is to provide a hacker which will avoid any tendency tobind in the heddle frame.

Another aim of the invention is to provide a heddle backer of lowmanufacturing cost.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear fromthe following description of an illustrative embodiment constructed inaccordance with the invention, the description being taken with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational View showing a heddle framein a warp drawing machine carrying a mass or pack of steel heddles andillustrating the improved heddle hacker.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the compacting device or backer.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the heddle hacker taken along theline 3 3 in Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view similar to Fig.1.

Referring first to Fig. l, designates one of the usual group of heddleframes suitably supported in the framework Ei of a warp drawing machine.A traveling carriage l is slidaole on the main frame and the heddles arereleased in the usual manner under the control of a spiral release key 8carried by a shaft 9 which extends through suitable key slots in theheddles.

The heddle frame comprises upper and lower parallel .bars il and l2suitably connected at their opposite ends as by means of U-shapedmetallic members i3. Carried by the end members of the frame are a pairof stringer bars or rails lll upon which a pack of heddles l5 areslidably supported for traveling movement with the carriage l.

in accordance with this invention, the heddle 2 backer I6 is soconstructed that it may be carried on one only of the heddle supportingrails lil, preferably the lower rail, so as to be eiiectivenotwithstanding variations in the spacing of such bars. To this end thehacker is made in two relatively slida-ble members or parts respectivelyprovided with gripper means for engagement with opposite edges of thesupporting rail and firmly held in operative position subject todisengagenient by relative movement between the twofseotions.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the improved backercomprises anelongated body member Il' having its upper end shaped for engagementwith the heddle pack, and a gripping member lli slidable relative to thebody. One of these parts, in this instance the body il, is of sectionalconstruction, having two relatively adjustable sections with adisengageable connection between them to provide for adjustment of theoverall length of the heddle hacker. Y

As shown, one section'of the body Il consists of an elongated plate lll.The other is in the form of an elongated housing 28 telescoping over the,plate I9. The housing 2U consists cf an inwardly flanged channel havinga flat rear wall 2l, a pair of side walls 22 extending forward from therear wall 2l, and a pair of front retaining flanges 23. f

The gripping member i8 preferably includes an elongated plate 2d whichis telescopically received in the channel-shaped housing 2li in front ofthe body plate i9. For this purpose the side walls' 22 of the housing2li are made of a width suf= cient to accommodate both plates I9 and2li.

The body plate l@ and the gripping plate 212 are respectively providedwith opposed rail engaging means comprising in this instance pairs ofspaced rollers 25 and 2% rotatably mounted onthe respective plates. Therollers 25 are mounted on the front side of the lower end of the bodyplate l for engagement with-the lower edge of' the rail it; and therollers 26 are mounted ont the rear side of a portion 28 of the gripperplate 2li, which portion is onset forwardly to bring the rollers 2t intovertical alinement with the rollers' edges respectively of the rail I4.For this purpose a coiled contractile spring 3E! is stretched betweenposts 3I and 32 mounted on the plates I9 and 24 respectively, the post3| extending through a longitudinal slot 34 in the plate 24. The lengthof the slot 34 xes the extent of opening and 'closing movements of theplates I'9 and 24.

The hacker body I1 includes a heddle engaging member, which in thisinstance comprises a horizontal tubular member 35 welded to the upperend of the channel-shaped housing 2S. The tubular member 35 also servesas means to guide the upper end of the heddle hacker I 6 along theheddle releasing shaft 9. The tubular member 35 has a longitudinal slot33 extending the full length of its upper side to admit theheddle-releasing shaft. Thus the tubular member forms a channel in whichthe heddle-releasing shaft is normally positioned.

The body I'I of the heddle hacker is longitudinally extensible tocompensate for varying distances between the supporting bar I 4 and therelease shaft 9. This is accomplished by adjusting the extent to whichthe housing 2G and the body plate I9 are telescoped. A detent device maybe provided to maintain the adjustment of the heddle hacker. In thisinstance, the detent device includes a series of longitudinally spacedholes 33 -in the body plate I9, together with a latching pin 39 carriedby a leaf spring 4i] mounted on the rear wall 2| of the housing 2t. Thepin 39 extends through an aperture 39a in the rear wall 2I into anyselected one of the holes 38.

During the warp drawing operation, the pack of heddles I5 exerts a forceon Vthe tube 35 carried at the upper end of the heddle backer IS, sothat the upper portion of the heddle backer I6 tends to tilt to theright as seen in Fig. 1. The force thus exerted tends to spread apartthe rollers and 26, and thereby to shift the gripping member I8 withrespect to the body member I 1. While the spring tends to resist 'suchtilting movement of the hacker, additional means is preferably provided-for .positively locking the body .and gripper Amember against relativespreading movement when vonce Athe backer is mounted in the heddleframe. In this instance, spreading of the members is prevented by alatch 4I which is movably mounted on one of the members I 'I 'or I8 andengageable with stop means on the other member. The spring anchor post3l on the body plate I9 may be utilized as the stop means, and the latch4I may vbe mounted by means of a .pivot 42 on the gripping plate I8. Asshown, the latch has a depending arm 44 carrying a laterally extendingnger 45 at its lower end. The finger 45 provides one vor more upwardlyfacing shoulders which are engageable with the lower -side of the springanchor post 3 I. Two shoulders 46 and 48 are provided to accommodate twodifferent widths of heddle supporting bars I4. The latch armv 44 mayhave an outwardly turned edge or flange 49 to strengthen the arm and toserve as a nger .grip for manipulating the latch.

In some instances, it may be desirable to provide means for increasingthe frictional resistance to sliding movement of the heddle backer I6along the supporting bar I 4. Such means may take the -form of a. leafspring 50 having one end mounted on the lower end of the body plate I9and the other endn positioned to engage the lower edge ofthesupporting-bar I4'.

The heddle hacker is installed in the heddle frame by iirst positioningthe rollers 25 on the top of the supporting bar I4. The latch 4I is thenreleased by rotating the latch arm 44 until the latch nger 45 is clearof the spring anchor post 3I. The body member I'I and the grippingmember I8 are spread apart against the force of the spring 39 by pushingdown on the tubular guide so that the bracket 29 can be hooked over thelower edge of the supporting bar I4. The downward spreading force isthen removed to allow the spring to move the jaw rollers 25 and 23 intogripping engagement with the bar I4.

y The tubular guide 35 is positioned around the heddle releasing shaft 9by passing the slot 36 over the shaft. Next, the latch 4I is released,and it moves by gravity into a position in which one of the shoulders 45or 58 is closely adjacent the lower-side of the spring anchor post 3I.The clearance between the pots SI and the latch 4I may be as small as'manufacturing tolerances permit. The hed/llo backer IS is then slidalong the bar I4 to move the guide tube 35 against the pack of heddlesI. By preventing downward movement of the spring anchor post SI withrespect to the gripping plate 24, the latch 4I prevents the forceexerted by the heddles from tilting the heddle hacker.

It will be apparent that the heddle becker oi' this invention isconstructed for secure attachment to the heddle frame so that the backercannot become detached from the frame accidentally. The variouscomponent parts of the backer may be fabricated and assembled withunusual facility and economy.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a heddle backer for compacting heddles in a heddle frame having aheddle supporting rail, the combination of a member having meansengageable with one edge of said rail, a second member having meansengageable with the other edge of said rail, and means for holding therespective members in gripping relation to the rail, one of said membershaving a heddle engaging portion.

2. In a heddle backer for compacting heddles in a heddle frame having aheddle supporting rail, the combination of a member having meansengageable with one edge of said rail, a second member having meansengageable with the other edge of said rail, and spring means forholding the respective members in gripping relation to the rail, one ofsaid members having a heddle engaging portion.

3. In a heddle backer for compacting heddles in a heddle frame having aheddle supporting rail, the combination of a member having meansengageable with one edge of said rail, a second member having meansengageable with the other edge of said rail, and meansfor positivelyholding the respective member-s in gripping relation to the rail, one ofsaid members having a heddle engaging portion.

fl. In a heddle backer to compact heddles in a heddle frame having aheddle supporting rail. the combination comprising a body member, a pairof relatively movable rail engaging and guiding means on the member forslidably and detachably securing the body member to the rail. said meansincluding respective pairs of spaced roller-s to engage the rail, andmeans on the body member to engage the heddles.

5. In a heddle backer to compact heddles in a heddle frame having aheddle supporting rail, the combination comprising a pair of relativelymovable rail engaging means for slidably and detachably securing thebacker to the rail, said means including respective pairs ofspacedrollers to engage the rail, and spring means operative to engagethe rail to provide Vfrictional resistance 'to sliding movement of thebacker relative to the rail. t

6. In a heddle lbaclrer to compact heddies in a heddle frame having aheddle supporting rail, the combination comprising a body member havinga pair of parts connected for relative longitudinal adjusting movementto'adjust the length of the member, means on one end of the body memberfor slidably securing the member to the rail, and means on the bodymember to engage the hed'dles. j

7. In a heddle backer to compact heddles in a heddle frame having aheddle supporting rail, the combination comprising a body member havingtwo parts connected for relative longitudinal adjusting movement toadjust the length of the member, detent means to maintain the relativeadjustment of the parts, means on one end of the body member forslidably securing the member to the rail, and means on the body memberto engage the heddles.

8. For a warp drawing machine having a heddle release shaft, a heddlebacker to compact the heddles in a heddle frame having a heddlesupporting rail, the combination comprising a member to extend betweensaid rail and shaft. means at one end of the member for slidablyattaching the member to the rail, and guiding means at the other end ofthe member to engage with the release shaft.

9. For a warp drawing machine having a heddle release shaft, a heddlebacker to compact the heddles in a heddle frame having a heddlesupporting rail, the combination comprising a member to extend betweensaid rail and shaft, means at one end oi the member for slidinglyattaching the member` to the rail, and guiding means at the other end ofthe member to engage with the release shaft, said member beinglongitudinally extensible to compensate for varying distances betweenthe meddle supporting rail and the release shaft.

10. A heddle hacker for compacting heddles in a heddle frame having aheddle supporting rail, said backer comprising, in combination, a bodyhaving means engageable with one edge of said rail, a member slidablerelative to the body and having means engageable with the other edge ofthe rail, spring means urging the respective rail engaging means in adirection to grip the rail, and means for positively locking said bodyand said member against relative movement.

11. A heddle backer for compacting heddles slidable on a pair ofsupporting rails in a heddle frame with a heddle release shaft passingthrough the heddles, said backer comprising an elongated body having aguide at one end for engagement with the heddle release shaft, means onthe other end of the body engageable with one edge of one of said heddlesupporting rails, a member slidably mounted with respect to the body andhaving means engageable with the other edge of said one rail, and meansacting upon said body and said member respectively to hold therespective gripping means in gripping relation to the rail, said bodybeing longitudinally extensible.

12. A heddle backer for compacting heddles slidable on a pair ofsupporting rails in a heddle frame with a heddle release key passingthrough 6. the heddles, said backer comprising an elongated body havinga guide at one end for engagement with the heddle release key, means onthe other end of the body engageable with one edge of one of said heddlesupporting rails, a member slid-i theheddlesupporting rails of a heddleframe in a warp drawing machine, comprising a body having meansengageable with one edge of said rail. a member slidable relative to thebody and having means engageable with the other edge of the rail, and alatch device for positively locking said member against sliding movementrelative to the body whereby to maintain the heddle hacker againsttilting movement relative to the rail.

14. A heddle backer for mounting upon one of the heddle supporting railsof a heddle frame in a warp drawing machine, comprising a body havingmeans engageable with one edge of said rail, a member slidable relativeto the body and having means engageable with the other edge of the rail,spring means connecting the body and member to'urge the respective railengaging means into gripping relation to the rail, and a latch devicefor positively locking said member against movement relative to thebody, said latch device being disengageable to permit such relativesliding movement against the action of said spring means.

15. A heddle backer for mounting on a heddle supporting rail comprising,in combination, a body member having means engageable with one edge ofthe rail to permit movement of the member longitudinally of the rail butheld against lateral movement relative thereto, a second member mountedfor sliding movement relative to the irs-t member and having meansengageable with the opposite edge of the rail while permitting movementlongitudinally thereof, one of said members having a guide forengagement with a heddle release key extending through the heddles andserving to limit lateral movement of the backer, and means for holdingsaid members in gripping relation to the rail to resist tiltingmovemen-t of the backer relative to the rail.

16. A heddle backer for mounting on a heddle supporting rail comprising,in combination, a body member having means engageable with one edge ofvthe rail to permit movement of the member longitudinally of the rail, asecond member mounted for sliding movement relative to the first memberand having means engageable wi-th the opposite edge of the rail, saidrail engaging means being operative to hold the backer against lateralmovement while permitting movement longitudinally, one of said membershaving a guide for engagement with a heddle release key extendingthrough the heddles and serving to limit lateral movement of the backer,and means for holding said members in gripping rela-tion to the rail.

1'7. A heddle becker for warp drawing machines having a heddle framewith a heddle supporting rail and a heddle release shaft, said hackercomprising a member to extend between the rail and the release shaft,means on one end ofthe mem- 7 ber for slidably and detachably securingthe member to the rail, and an outwardly open guide at the other end ofthe member having side members to engage with the opposite sides of therelease shaft.

18. A heddle hacker for warp drawing machines having a heddle frame witha pair of hed'dle supporting rails and a heddle release shaft, saidhacker comprising a pair of adjacent elongated plates, an extensionmember telescoping over Ithe plates for adjusting the length of thebanker, the plates being relatively slidable in the extension member, apair of rail engaging means on the respective plates to grip 4theopposite edges of the rail, a spring urging the plates in a direction-to close the rail engaging means, a latch to restrain opening movementof the plates to prevent til-ting of the backer on the rail, and meansIon the extension member forming a channel to receive the release shaftfor maintaining the shaft and the backer in lateral alinement.

CHARLES B. CRANDALL.

FRANKLIN L. TOWNSEND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,482,648 Hathaway et a1. Feb. 5,1924 2,447,274 Peterson Aug. 17, 1948

